Waterproof Sock

ABSTRACT

A waterproof sock according to the present invention includes a sole portion constructed of a waterproof material and an upper portion constructed of an air-permeable material. The sole portion extends about a toe region for protecting a wearer&#39;s toes from wetness or from being inadvertently scraped. The waterproof sock includes a pocket situated atop a front region of the upper portion and is configured to receive and retain heat packs. Alternately, pockets may be situated on opposed sides of the upper portion for warming both sides of a wearer&#39;s foot. Accordingly, the waterproof sock enables a wearer to keep his feet warm and dry and in a cold and wet environment such as a ski lodge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to socks and, more particularly, to waterproof socks for providing warm, comfortable, and dry protection to a person's feet while walking around in a ski lodge with potentially wet floors. The waterproof socks according to this invention may also be heated to provide warmth to a person's feet.

After a long day of skiing or snowboarding and upon return to the ski lodge, a skier typically has a desire to take off their ski boots and walk around the lodge in their socks. Unfortunately, the presence of melted snow on the floors often results in the person's feet becoming wet and cold. Skiers, therefore, must have a pair of shoes waiting for them when they return to the lodge so as to have warm and waterproof foot protection after their ski boots are removed.

Various proposals have been made in the art for providing waterproof socks that prevent a person's socks from becoming wet in the ski lodge environment. While these proposals are assumably effective for their intended purposes, they include, in some cases, complicated constructions and, in others, lack a capability of warming a person's feet.

Therefore, it would be desirable have a pair of lodge socks that includes a waterproof portion, a flexible and breathable portion, and that provides special traction on slippery surfaces. Further, it would be desirable to have a pair of lodge socks having at least one pocket for receiving a heat pack in order to keep a person's feet warm and comfortable. In addition, it would be desirable to have a pair of waterproof socks having arch supports for added comfort to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A waterproof sock according to the present invention includes a sole portion that is constructed of a waterproof material such as Gor-Tex. The waterproof sock also includes an upper portion constructed of an air-permeable material and which also includes front and rear regions. The upper portion includes a pocket suitable for selectively retaining a heat pack for warming a wearer's foot. Accordingly, a person may wear the sock in an environment that may be characterized by wet and cold floors, such as a ski lodge, yet still keep his feet warm, comfortable, and dry.

Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a waterproof sock that includes a waterproof layer to prevent a wearer's feet from getting wet when walking on an otherwise wet surface.

Another object of this invention is to provide a waterproof sock, as aforesaid, that provides enhanced traction for walking on a slippery surface.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a waterproof sock, as aforesaid, having a flexible, breathable portion that is comfortable to wear and easy to fold and store.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a waterproof sock, as aforesaid, presenting one or more pockets for receiving and retaining heat packs to keep a wearer's feet warm.

A further object of this invention is to provide a waterproof sock, as aforesaid, having an arch support for added comfort.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a waterproof sock, as aforesaid, that is economical to produce.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a waterproof sock according to a below-ankle form of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a top view of the waterproof sock as in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is a sectional view taken from line 2B-2B of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2C is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from FIG. 2B;

FIG. 2D is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from FIG. 2B; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an above-ankle form of the waterproof sock according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A waterproof sock 100 according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3 of the accompanying drawings. More particularly, a waterproof sock 100 according to the current invention includes a sole portion 110 and an upper portion 120.

The sole portion 110 may be constructed of a waterproof material 111 (e.g., Gore-Tex), and may include a protective elastic material 112 such as rubber (FIG. 2D). The sole portion 110 and the upper portion 120 collectively define a foot-receiving area 114, and as shown in FIG. 2D, the waterproof material 111 may be situated between the elastic material 112 and the foot-receiving area 114. The sole 110 may extend around a toe region 116 to protect the toes of a wearer from wetness, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The covering of the toe region 116 is also helpful in protecting a wearer's toes from scrapes as are sometimes experienced by persons walking on a concrete surface around, for example, a swimming pool area.

FIG. 2C shows that the sole portion 110 may include an arch support 115, which may be constructed separate from the elastic material 112 and subsequently coupled to the elastic material 112, or which may be defined by (formed by) the elastic material 112.

The upper portion 120 has a front region 121, a rear region 122, opposed sides 123, and may define an opening 124 to the foot-receiving area 114. The upper portion 120 may be constructed of an air-permeable material (e.g., cotton), and the upper portion may have a below-ankle profile 120 a (FIG. 1) or an above-ankle profile 120 b (FIG. 3). One or more pocket 130 may be defined by or attached to the upper portion 120 for selectively retaining one or more heat pack, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the pocket(s) 130 may be situated atop the upper portion front region 121 and/or on one or more sides 123 of the upper portion 120. The pockets 130 are shown outside the foot-receiving area 114 so that heat packs may be conveniently replaced or reheated.

In use, a pair of waterproof socks 100 may be carried in a user's pocket while the user is skiing, snowboarding, or otherwise passing through snow. Upon entrance to a lodge or other enclosed area in which the user desires to remove his shoes/boots, the socks 100 may be placed on the user's feet by passing each respective foot through a respective opening 124 to the respective foot-receiving area 114. The air-permeable upper portions 120 may allow air to reach the user's feet, preventing the feet from sweating and sweat from being trapped in the upper portions 120. The waterproof soles 110 may keep the user's feet dry from water or snow in the floor which is often tracked indoors by other people, and the elastic material 112 may provide traction and protect the user's feet. The arch supports 115 may provide additional comfort to the user's feet. Heat packets (such as those utilizing chemical reactions or those preheated in hot water, microwave ovens, etc.) may be placed in the pocket(s) 130 to warm the user's feet and to keep the user's feet warm.

It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof. 

1. A waterproof sock, comprising: a sole portion constructed of a waterproof material; an upper portion constructed of an air-permeable material and having a front region and a rear region; and a pocket on said upper portion for selectively retaining a heat pack.
 2. The waterproof sock of claim 1, wherein said sole portion includes an arch support.
 3. The waterproof sock of claim 1, wherein: said sole portion includes an elastic material; and said elastic material forms an arch support.
 4. The waterproof sock of claim 3, wherein said elastic material is rubber.
 5. The waterproof sock of claim 1, wherein said sole portion extends around a toe region to protect the toes of a wearer.
 6. The waterproof sock of claim 1, wherein said air-permeable material includes cotton.
 7. The waterproof sock of claim 1, wherein said pocket is situated atop said upper portion front region.
 8. The waterproof sock of claim 7, wherein: said upper portion has opposed sides; and a respective pocket is on each said upper portion side for selectively retaining heat packs.
 9. The waterproof sock of claim 1, wherein said sole portion and said upper portion collectively define a foot-receiving area and said upper portion defines an opening to said foot-receiving area.
 10. The waterproof sock of claim 9, wherein: said sole portion includes an arch support; said sole portion extends around a toe region to protect the toes of a wearer; said pocket is situated atop said upper portion front region; said upper portion has opposed sides; and a respective pocket is on each said upper portion side for selectively retaining heat packs.
 11. The waterproof sock of claim 1, wherein said upper portion has a below-ankle profile.
 12. The waterproof sock of claim 1, wherein said upper portion has an above-ankle profile.
 13. A waterproof sock, comprising a sole portion and an upper portion collectively defining a foot-receiving area, said upper portion defining an opening to said foot-receiving area and having a pocket situated outside said foot-receiving area for selectively retaining a heat pack.
 14. The waterproof sock of claim 13, wherein: said upper portion is constructed of an air-permeable material and has a front region and a rear region; and said sole portion is constructed of a waterproof material.
 15. The waterproof sock of claim 14, wherein said sole portion includes an arch support and said sole portion extends around a toe region to protect the toes of a wearer.
 16. The waterproof sock of claim 14, wherein: said pocket is situated atop said upper portion front region; said upper portion has opposed sides; and a respective pocket is on each said upper portion side for selectively retaining heat packs.
 17. The waterproof sock of claim 16, wherein: said sole portion includes rubber; and said air-permeable material includes cotton.
 18. The waterproof sock of claim 17, wherein said waterproof material is between said rubber and said foot-receiving area.
 19. The waterproof sock of claim 13, wherein: said upper portion has opposed sides; and said pocket is on one said side of said upper portion. 